So drop him from the rankings, and essentially make him ineligible to fight for the championship. If you look at this, he surrendered 20 percent of his purse to fight at the weight he wanted. It’s a consequential fight at middleweight - at least it was - that would have great significance in the title chase.Ĭosta knew that the UFC did not want to lose the bout nor did ESPN. This isn’t a situation that can be tolerated long term, and Costa had everyone, including the UFC, Vettori, television partner ESPN and the fans over a barrel, because the fight promises to be so compelling.Ī Costa-Vettori fight gets the blood boiling and the heart racing. The UFC needs to pull him from its rankings. The 20 percent fine will hurt, but it’s not enough. “There were things happening, but I don’t want to talk about it now. “Some of it was the travel, a lot of things,” he said. When he was pressed, he didn’t care much to elaborate.
PAULO COSTA MMA MANAGER PROFESSIONAL
He needs a significant dose of humility, and to apologize for not living up to the professional standards that virtually every other fighter does. “I think this is better for performance for the athletes,” Costa said. Still, how Costa got to this point is a mystery and his answers are only aggravating. Paulo Costa's punishment for coming into fight week way overweight isn't severe enough. An early notification like he gave would also help to prevent the possibility that the athletic commission would intervene and cancel the bout on weigh-in day. It’s better that he did tell the UFC and Vettori as early as possible to save Vettori from having to cut more than he’d need. Sometimes, a fighter’s body shuts down or they miscalculate or, for women, they’re on their period and they miss.īut to come in so heavy and basically five days before the event announce that one can’t make it is beyond arrogant. He understood that simple question because every fighter knows it is his or her job to make the contracted weight. But there was an interpreter with him who translated questions he didn’t understand. Why did you allow yourself to get to this point where on Tuesday you told UFC you wouldn’t be able to make it?”Ĭosta was doing the interview in English, which is his second language, and so he does deserve consideration for that. Yahoo Sports said to him, “Paulo, it is your job to make weight. Costa will surrender 20 percent of his purse to Vettori.Ĭosta was coy and wouldn’t reveal the reason he couldn’t make the weight. On Thursday, the UFC confirmed the bout will remain the main event of UFC Vegas 41 on Saturday at Apex at a catchweight of 195 pounds. It wouldn’t be fair to Vettori to deplete himself while the UFC already knew that Costa not only couldn’t make it, but wasn’t going to try. The UFC reached out to Vettori, who like a professional had already begun his cut. The UFC brass began to act after Costa manager Wallid Ismail informed them on Tuesday that Costa would not be able to make the weight. “The UFC thought it would be better to be 195 or 200 because it would be a better fight, more exciting,” Costa told Yahoo Sports. Prior to his setback to the champion, Vettori had won five straight, including back-to-back wins over Jack Hermansson and Kevin Holland.Rather, he tried to sell the sorry story that the UFC came up with this lame-brained scheme. (I predict) Marvin by stoppage, under three rounds.”īoth Vettori and Costa are looking to rebound from title losses to Adesanya. Normally, the hard work you put in the gym is going to transfer to the cage, and I think we’re going to see a very, very great, fun fight. I’m not just saying things to say things – I see it. “He’s going to try and wrestle Marvin because the amount of intensity he’s going to bring into the fight is insane, especially in a small cage. Too much pressure, too much volume – I think we’re going to see Costa shooting. And I believe Costa is a tough fighter, but he will stop him in three rounds. He knows he’s 27 years old – he’s still a kid. “Marvin may have lost his last title fight, but he gained a lot of confidence. “The amount of volume he’s throwing, the amount of intensity he’s throwing, this is a new Marvin,” Abdelaziz told MMA Junkie. 23.Īlthough Vettori (17-5-1 MMA, 7-3-1 UFC) has used a grapple-heavy approach in fights, Abdelaziz said it’s Costa (13-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) who will resort to wrestling once the pair stands and trades. The Dominance MMA CEO said his client, Vettori, is rejuvenated following his title loss to UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya in June and expects him to overwhelm Costa in their UFC Fight Night 196 headliner on Oct. Manager Ali Abdelaziz doesn’t see the matchup between Marvin Vettori and Paulo Costa playing out on the feet for too long.